Our Cause - Prescription Drugs & Opioids
Effects of Prescription Drugs on Youth
More Americans misuse prescription drugs than cocaine, hallucinogens, and heroin combined. What’s even more alarming is just how easy it is for our youth to get access to prescription drugs. Friends and family members with prescriptions or leftover drugs may be unknowingly allowing children to misuse these dangerous substances. And the impact is evident.
- 1 in 5 Texas high school students admits to taking a prescription drug without a doctor’s prescription
- 22% of Texas college students admit to taking prescription drugs to get high at least once
- More than half of people who misuse prescription drugs got them from a friend or relative
- Drug overdose death rates in the US have more than tripled since 1990 and are increasingly due to prescription drugs
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